Playing with Her but soon Loving Her
by Transient Tears
Summary: A devil is a devil no matter what you do. He plans to toy with her. She is a human with a dark secret. A person is trying to destroy her. Enter the world of lies, secrets, and schemes as Natsume started playing with her but soon loving her. ON-HIATUS!
1. The meeting

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters.

**Summary:**Natsume, a pure devil found an interesting human girl named Mikan and decided to play with her emotion. But this girl has a secret that no one knows, even she doesn't know about it. What will happen if Natsume succeed on breaking her heart but soon realized that he is falling for the human? Will he take the risk of loving a human or face the truth that devils can't love a human?

-x-

Playing with Her but soon Loving Her

_Transient Tears_

-x-

"Who should I play with today?" A certain raven-haired devil asked his personal assistant.

"You know, Natsume, you should stop playing with girl's emotions," his assistant answered him.

"I like playing with their emotion and afterwards saw their heart break. It's their fault to fall for me in the first place."

"I am telling you this Natsume, stop playing with them, it will be your lost if you play for the wrong girl, you might regret what you are doing," his assistant said before leaving the room.

Natsume ignored his warning and continued what he was doing. "I think I will go to the human world, and look for my next victim," Natsume thought to himself as he started to chant words and a light appeared around him.

-x-

_Human World (Gakuen Alice)_

"Mikan-chan, do you want to go with us to central town?" A girl with pink hair asked a certain brunette named Mikan.

"Sure! Hotaru, come with me," she said as she was trying to hug her best friend, Hotaru, only to get hit with the infamous Baka Gun.

"Hotaru, that hurt you know! Please come with me," Mikan said with her puppy dog eyes.

"Fine," the inventor said after she lost to Mikan's puppy dog eyes.

They went to central town. They bought Howalons, clothes, hair clips and many more. They were walking when Mikan suddenly fainted. Hotaru and the others were startled by this, though Hotaru didn't show it; they brought Mikan to the hospital. They were worried about her state because lately Mikan passed out anywhere. The doctor said that she was fine but they were still worried for her.

It was already evening and everyone except Hotaru went to their dorm but they said that they were going tomorrow to visit Mikan. They didn't know that Mikan was having a nightmare that may change her life.

_Mikan's Room_

Mikan was peacefully lying on the bed when a faint voice came from her mouth. The truth was, she was having a nightmare or something horrible dream if you would prefer it that way.

_Mikan's Dream (Mikan's POV)_

_I was walking in a dark hallway. I didn't know where I was but still I kept walking and walking. _

_"Everyone, where are you?" I shouted to no one. I was still walking until I heard someone's voice._

"_It's not time for you to wake up, Princess. The time will come for you to wake up," the voice said._

"_Who are you?" I asked the voice but no response._

"_I am your personal assistant and protector although I'm a girl. It's not time for you to know me. But please do not let your true self wake up or you will do what they wanted," the voice said but I was still confused._

"_Why do you keep calling me Princess?" I asked again but this time the voice didn't answer just then I heard a different voice._

"_Wake up, Princess. You are bound to suffer the pain that I felt," another voice said._

"_Who are you? You're not the voice earlier," I said and felt scared because the voice was creepy._

"_Because of you everything I have was gone, gone forever," I heard the voice again and it was getting creepier every second._

"_Leave me alone!" I shouted and now the voice was laughing._

"_I will wake the real you," the voice said while laughing. I got more scared and the laugh was getting creepier and creepier by second._

"_Remember this dear, Princess, I will haunt you until the real you wakes up," the voice said to me. I ran through the dark hallway but the voice kept ringing on my head._

"_Leave me alone!" I keep shouting those words while running to the endless darkness._

-x-

_Mikan's room_

Mikan woke up panting and sweating heavily. She didn't know what her dream was all about. She looked at the clock and saw that it was already evening. She looked around her and for the first time she noticed that she was not in her room. Everything around her was white, her clothes were white, and even the bed sheet was white.

"Am I already dead?" she asked herself but then she saw a dextrose in the back of her hands and noticed that she was in a hospital room.

"Silly me. Thinking that I'm already dead, of course, I'm not dead. I just passed out. Wait! Why did I pass out again? I don't remember. Oh well! I better go back to sleep," she lied at the bed and closed her eyes trying to remember the reason of her black out. "Oh! I remember now, I was walking with my friends and then everything went black," she said to herself.

The door of the room opened and revealed a man with raven hair and glasses, he looked like Hotaru, well that was because he was Hotaru's brother.

"You're awake now. How are you feeling?" Subaru Imai, Hotaru Imai's brother, asked our cute brunette.

"I'm fine, I guess," Mikan said unsure if she was fine or not.

"Let me check your temperature," he said to Mikan before placing a thermometer in her mouth.

"Okay!" she said to him with a thermometer in mouth.

Subaru walked out of the room but he said to Mikan that he will be back after ten minutes. Mikan thought about her dream. She didn't notice that Subaru went inside until he got the thermometer in her mouth.

"Your temperature is normal. You can get out tomorrow morning and attend school," he said to Mikan and she nodded at him. He walked out of the room again while Mikan walked to the window, still thinking about her dream.

She was looking at the dark sky outside until she noticed a figure floating or more like flying.

_What is that?_

She asked herself looking more closely to the figure.

"Mikan-chan, we're glad that you're fine now!" Mikan was startled to hear her friends' voices. She looked at the door only to see the WHOLEclass, well maybe with a few exceptions.

"What are you ALL doing here?" Mikan asked them after recovering from the shock.

"We came here to see you! We heard from Doctor Imai that you woke up and you can go to school tomorrow!" they started shouting at her the reason.

"Please lower your voice, it's already nine in the evening and you're making my ears bleed!" Mikan said to them while covering her ears.

"Mikan-chan, we were really worried about you! So forgive us if we disturbed you," they said to Mikan then hugged her tight, so tight that she can't breathe.

"G-guys, I-I r-really a-appreciate i-it b-but I-I c-can't b-breathe," Mikan said trying to breathe.

"S-sorry, Mikan-chan," they apologized to Mikan.

"I forgot, how did you get in here? Visiting hours is already over, so how did you manage to pass the security?" Mikan asked them.

They all sweat dropped before answering "W-w-well, W-w-we -" they couldn't finish their sentence.

Hotaru finished for them, "I blackmailed my brother by showing him some files that contains his secrets and personal life," Hotaru said and everyone gulped while some of them sweat dropped because of her coldness.

"You all know that tomorrow all of you will get a detention," Mikan said to them while letting out a big sigh.

They laughed at themselves before gulping at the thought of detention.

"Because you went of all that trouble I will talk to Imai-sempai to let him know that I'm coming back to the dorm," Mikan said to them and she started walking to the doctor's office with her classmates following her behind.

Mikan knocked at the door before opening it. "Imai-sempai, are you here?" Mikan asked as they walked inside of the room.

"What are you all doing here?" they heard Doctor Imai asked as they saw him sitting on his chair.

"I want to ask if I can return to the dorm now since I'm already fine," Mikan said to him and they saw him sighed.

"Fine, I'll let you off this time but remember if you collapsed again you have to follow my orders. You can go now and Hotaru, please stay for a moment. I want to talk to you," Imai said and they all cheered when he said that Mikan can go.

"Thank you, sempai!" Mikan said.

They all walked out of the room and left the siblings though they were curious. Because of curiosity they asked Koko to read their minds which Koko did but after a minute or two he turned to them.

"So? What did you read?" Sumire asked.

"Mikan, are you using your nullification?" Koko asked Mikan and ignored Sumire's question.

"No, why did you ask?" Mikan answered and asked Koko at the same time.

"I can't read their minds," Koko told them and the shock expression was visible in their faces.

"What?" they all shouted at the same time making Koko's ears to bleed.

"Stop shouting! You're making my ears bleed!" Koko shouted at them, and they all went silent, but not because he shouted but because they heard the door creaked and then Hotaru went out.

"You're so noisy!" Hotaru said to them and then it went.

BAKA BAKA BAKA!

They were all shot by the infamous Baka Gun.

"U-ummm, Hotaru, why can't I read your mind?" Koko asked Hotaru.

"Have you forgotten that you can't use Alice on this hospital?" she said and they all remembered.

"Oh, we forgot about that!" they all exclaimed at the same time.

"Mikan, let's go to your room. I am going to sleep there in case something happens," Hotaru said to Mikan who just nodded at her.

"Can we come, too?" Sumire, Anna and Nonoko asked. "Sure, you can come but not the boys."

-x-

They went to her room and placed their sleeping bags on the floor.

"Goodnight, everyone," Mikan said to the other girls who were now resting their heads to their pillows, ready to sleep anytime.

"Good night, Mikan," they said at the same time and soon they drifted to a deep slumber.

Although everyone was sleeping silently our favorite brunette cannot sleep because of the dream she had at the hospital. She put her robe and lazily went to her balcony. She watched the stars twinkling brightly in the sky as the wind blew her hair; she was like a goddess standing under the starry night.

She heard a rustling sound coming from the direction of the forest, as she slowly tilted her head she saw a figure jumping from tree to tree, she couldn't find her voice as she watched the figure, she thought it was a ghost but as she looked closely she saw that its eyes were red and glowing although she can't tell if it was a boy or a girl.

She came back to her senses when she heard Hotaru calling her name.

"What are you doing here?" Hotaru asked her as she walked to Mikan.

"Feeling the cold breeze and besides I can't sleep," Mikan answered her best friend.

"You should sleep now, there's school tomorrow and I heard from Sumire that there will be a new transfer student," Hotaru said to her but she just shrugged. She was wondering if the transfer student was a boy or a girl until Hotaru spoke, "Let's go inside. It's cold out here," she said to Mikan who just nodded her head and started walking to her room.

Mikan thought about of what she saw until she unwillingly falls to a deep slumber.

-x-

The girls woke up early except for Mikan. And now they were running at the hallways because they were going to be late due to someone's tardiness. Luck wasn't on Mikan's side because she bumped at someone and the others didn't even notice her, they just continued to run.

"Sorry," she said to the person who turned out to be a boy with raven hair, and much to her dismay, taller than her.

"Watch where you're going, polka," the boy said and Mikan registered in her head the nickname that the boy called her.

"P-p-polka?" she asked until she realized what he meant. "YOU PERVERT!" she screamed at the top of her lungs but then again the bell rang and she completely ignored the boy and ran to the direction of the classroom.

She arrived at the classroom just in time. It seemed that Narumi, their gay teacher or so that was what they call him since he was always wearing disgusting clothes, was a little bit late. She sat at her usual seat that was located at the back of the class near the windowsill. She was thinking about what she saw yesterday evening on her balcony but her thoughts were interrupted by Narumi.

"Good morning, my beautiful class!" he sang while skipping in the classroom. The class was used to his attitude but still they were not use to his fashion.

Can you believe that he was wearing disgusting clothes? He was actually wearing a frilly gown that extended up to his feet, and not to mention that he was also wearing high heels!

The class bombarded him with question and statements like: "Eww, what are you wearing?" or something like this, "You're so gay!"

Narumi, being a kind teacher because of good news, ignored their insults and smiled at them which make the class to shut up. They knew that when Narumi smiled like that and ignored their insults, there was something about him.

"Since you all quieted down, I have good news! We have a transfer student!" he exclaimed excitedly and the class started to murmur, especially the girls. They are wondering if it was a boy or a girl.

"Please come in," Narumi said and all eyes stared at the crimson-eyed boy who walked to the classroom.

All the girls gasped and squealed except for the gang. I can clearly understand why they gasped and squealed because in front of them stood a handsome teenage boy with raven hair and tantalizing crimson eyes.

"Please introduce yourself," Narumi said at the boy and he just rolled his eyes at the gay teacher.

"Whatever. Natsume Hyuuga, 17, Fire Alice, DA," he said and now they were all quiet, but it didn't take the girls minutes to recover. Soon all of them were squealing and shouting.

"NATSUME-SAMA, MARRY ME!" one of the girls said but she received a glare from the boy.

"BACK OFF! HE'S MINE," a girl with strawberry blonde hair said. It was none other than the queen of slut herself, Luna Koizumi.

"NO, HE'S MINE!" a brave girl said and they started to fight.

Narumi used his pheromone to calm down the class and of course, it worked on everyone except for the gang because Mikan used her Alice to shield her friends from the pheromone and to shield herself, too. And she was aware that the new transfer student was pissed. Being the good girl as she was, she extended her nullification around the boy. She had a feeling that she saw him before but soon shrugged the thought.

-x-

Natsume, on the other hand, were eyeing the girl that was seating at the back near the windowsill. He can't help staring at her. But then he felt that he was being moved by something and when he looked at the class, he saw that most of them were attracted to their gay teacher. It seemed that he used his pheromone to calm the class, and he was being pulled too by his pheromone.

He was ready to give up since his body couldn't take it anymore but he saw that the girl at the back looked at him and unknowingly he too stared at the girl but unfortunately she diverted her gaze. He didn't recognize that the girl was the one he bumped earlier. He then felt something inside him and he realized that he was being affected by the pheromone again but before he could react to the pheromone something warm wrapped him.

He felt that the effect of pheromone on him was gone and he looked around at the classroom and found a group of guys and girls that were not affected by the pheromone and one of them was the girl near the windowsill.

Soon the class came back to normal but they were quiet now since they don't want to experience the wrath of their gay teacher, again.

"Who wants to be Natsume's partner?" Narumi asked and all the girls raised their hands and again except for the gang.

Narumi knew the reason why they didn't raise their hands. The gang was composed of Hotaru and Ruka, Anna and Kitsuneme, Nonoko and Yuu, Sumire and Koko and last but not least our favorite brunette, Mikan.

He spotted Mikan staring at the windowsill, looking bored. A wicked smile appeared on his face and excitedly exclaimed, "Mikan-chan will be your partner! Natsume, please sit at the back beside Mikan," he said and Natsume started walking to his seat.

"NO! She can't be Natsume's partner!" Luna hissed but Narumi smiled at her which make Luna gulped because of what Narumi will do to her. She looked away and glared at Mikan.

Mikan, on the other hand, heard her and looked at Narumi who had a smile plastered on his face. She looked at the outside of the window but seconds after she felt someone glaring at her and she didn't have to look at the person because she knew it was none other than Luna.

Mikan looked at the boy beside him and smiled. "Welcome to class 2-b, I'm Mikan Sakura," she said and smiled at him again.

Natsume suddenly remembered that she was the person who bumped him earlier and out of the blue he smirked. "We met again, polka," he said and Mikan being a stupid person registered the voice and nickname on her head. But it didn't take her minutes to know the person.

"You're the guy earlier. The perverted guy! Stop calling me polka!" she hissed at Natsume and the gang walked to them.

Mikan saw them and smiled at them. Anna and Nonoko smiled back at her and Hotaru, being the Ice Queen, just kept her stoic face. "Where's Narumi-sensei?" she asked them and all of them slapped their head anime style and again, except for Hotaru.

"He left minutes ago. Why are you yelling?" Koko said and asked the brunette. He looked at the guy beside Mikan and tried to read his mind but there was nothing in his mind right now.

"Natsume, is that you?" Ruka asked and all of them looked at him. Natsume looked at Ruka and smirked.

"What are you doing here?" Ruka asked again but he didn't reply.

"Ruka, how'd you know him?" Mikan asked and everyone nodded their head.

"Childhood friends," he simply answered and again they nodded their head.

"Who wants to go to Central Town?" Kitsuneme asked and Mikan smiled at them.

"We want to go!" they all said except for the Ice Queen and Natsume.

"Mikan, you have to go with your partner," Yuu said and Mikan's happiness died down.

She walked to Ruka and whispered in his ears. She allowed Koko to read her minds to know what she was whispering at Ruka. Ruka then nodded at her and walked to Natsume.

"Natsume, come to the Central Town with us," Ruka said and the guy looked at him again.

"Hn," he answered and Ruka being his best friend already knew the meaning of his answer.

"He said yes," Ruka said to them and Mikan cheered again because she knew that she can go to Central Town. She was glad that Natsume agreed because if not she had to stay with her partner and won't be able to go to Central Town with everyone.

While they were having a conversation they didn't notice that other girls, well actually it was the Natsume fan club under the leadership of Luna Koizumi, were glaring at them. They saw that the gang walked to Mikan and Natsume's seat before they could go to Natsume. They were afraid to feel the newly improved Baka Gun of Hotaru Imai.

The gang walked out of the classroom and went to Narumi to inform him that they were going to Central Town and lucky them because he agreed. They went to the bus station and saw that Luna and her goons were there sitting at the same bus. Luna looked at them and glared at Mikan.

Mikan just looked away and clung to Hotaru tighter. Hotaru looked at Luna and glared at her and Luna glared back at her. The glaring contest began but unfortunately for Luna because she lost.

The bus took off and drove to Central Town. The gang was talking about their plans, well mostly the girls. Luna's group was talking about something different: a plan to get Mikan Sakura away from Natsume Hyuuga.

-x-


	2. Hotaru's mission

**Be cautious of the following:**

*OCs

*OOCs

*wrong grammars

*misspelled words

*anything that you think is wrong then it's wrong except for the plot

-x-

Playing with Her but soon Loving Her

_Transient Tears_

-x-

**Chapter 2 – Hotaru's mission**

It was a typical day in Gakuen Alice. Birds were chirping, the sun was shining brightly in the sky and of course, our favorite brunette's everyday routine. She was running in the hallways while shouting "I'M LATE!"

The door of the class 2-B banged open and revealed our favorite brunette panting heavily as the class looked at her and clapped their hands.

"You're right on time, Mikan-chan! Narumi-sensei hasn't come yet," Anna and Nonoko said at the same time that made the class sweat dropped.

Mikan walked in the classroom and caught sight of Hotaru, who was currently working on an invention.

"HOTARU!" She shouted while trying to hug her best friend and again she was shot by her newly improved Baka Gun. Of course, everyone was used to this.

Their classroom became SUPER NOISY. ALL the fan girls were squealing and shouting madly to the new comers.

"NATSUME-SAMA, MARRY ME!" screamed one of the fan girls. She received a glare from the queen of sluts.

"HANDS OFF, UGLY, NATSUME IS MINE," Luna said to the girl and Natsume just glared at her.

The others didn't want to feel the wrath of the queen or that was what she called herself. Instead they screamed Ruka's name.

"RUKA-SAMA, PLEASE BE MY BOYFRIEND," one of Ruka's fan girl shouted bravely and you know what happened next? She received a glare from HOTARU IMAI, the Ice Queen.

"Say that once again and your life will be miserable," she said which made all the students murmur something like this: "Are they dating?" "Is she his girlfriend?"

"Yes, I am Ruka's girlfriend," was the answer they received from the Ice Queen.

"Hotaru, since when?" Nonoko, Anna and Sumire asked at the same time and...Mikan? She was just sitting at her chair at the back, head and arms on the table looking...tired? That was...unusual?

Hotaru didn't answer them instead she looked at Koko who nodded at her.

"I can't read her mind," Koko said when he got to where Hotaru was. Ruka went to Hotaru and sat beside her while Natsume sat beside Mikan since that was where his seat was.

"She must be using her nullification," Yuu said after he reached them.

"More importantly why is that gay still not coming? It's been minutes already," Kitsuneme popped out of nowhere.

"Oh, I heard that they have a meeting, so he won't come today," Koko answered his question.

"What's wrong with Mikan?" Anna asked and looked at Mikan who were now sleeping at her desk.

"I guess she's tired but I wonder why. Come to think of it she has bags under her eyes," Sumire exclaimed and they all looked at Mikan carefully.

"I hope she's okay," Yuu said worriedly.

"Koko, try reading her mind again," Ruka said in place of Hotaru.

Koko tried to read her mind again but failed miserably.

"I can't read her mind. I guess she doesn't want us to know what she's thinking or maybe her alice is protecting her," Koko said to them and they all had an idea.

"Yuu, use your alice on Mikan and see if it will work," Nonoko said to her boyfriend. Yuu nodded at her and began concentrating on his alice.

He successfully used his alice but before it could touch Mikan it vanished into thin air. They asked Mochu if he could lift Mikan and again they failed. They asked their classmates to use their alice on Mikan but the outcome was always the same.

They saw Luna walking to them and one by one they glared at her. Luna just smirked at them.

"Mind if I try?" Luna asked. They were about to say something when Luna went to Mikan.

She was going to use her alice on her but failed. She felt that the aura surrounding Mikan was lessening maybe Mikan was loosening her nullification. Luna took this opportunity and tried to use her alice again.

When her lips are getting nearer and nearer to Mikan, a hand grabbed her wrists. She looked up to see the person and it was none other than Mikan.

She gasped when she saw the color of Mikan's eyes. It was red just like Natsume although it was glowing and a little light.

The students didn't see this but the gang did since they were standing close to Mikan.

"What do you think you are doing?" Mikan asked in a cold voice that brings shiver run down on Luna's back.

"I-I," Luna couldn't finish her sentence due to her sudden fear of Mikan. She didn't admit it but she was afraid of Mikan right now. The coldness in her eyes, her voice and the aura around her made you want to run for your life until you can.

"Speak, bitch!" Mikan snarled at her and Luna looked terrified. She opened her mouth but no voice came out.

"P-p-princess?" Hotaru suddenly asked. Her voice a little bit shaky. The gang looked at her with questioning eyes.

Mikan looked at her but didn't utter a word. The next thing they knew was, Mikan was lying on the floor, unconscious.

-x-

They brought Mikan to the hospital and Hotaru's brother quickly attended to her needs. He knew this time that Mikan's faint was serious.

He examined her and injected some medicines on her. He finished what he was doing and Hotaru looked at him. He nodded and motioned her to follow him.

They went to his private office. It was a deafening silence until Hotaru broke it.

"I think I found the princess," Hotaru said and her brother looked at her.

"Who?" he calmly asked.

"Mikan," she said and this time shocked became visible on her brother's face but it was gone as fast as it appeared.

"How could Mikan be the princess?" he asked another question and Hotaru sighed.

"Earlier before she collapsed we tried to use our alice on her since we thought that she was tired or something and Koko's alice didn't work on her, same goes for everyone. But when Luna was trying to use her alice it seemed that Mikan loosened her nullification and allowed Luna to use it and as soon as Luna came to her she suddenly grabbed her hand and looked at her with cold-fiery eyes," Hotaru explained and her brother examined the words carefully.

"What was she like?" Subaru asked.

"Her eyes turned red just like Hyuuga but it was lighter and glowing. Her voice became cold, the aura around her makes you want to run away from her," Hotaru told him and he nodded.

"Watch Mikan carefully and try to protect her. If Akina comes out then we can approve that she's the princess. For now look closely and don't let anyone harm her," Subaru exclaimed and she nodded.

She walked out of the room and went to Mikan. Everyone was gone because it was lunch break and students were not allowed in the hospital.

She held Mikan's hand tightly. She closed her eyes.

"I promise that I'll protect you, princess. It is my mission to find and protect you," she said out loud.

Hours have passed and Hotaru fell asleep. Mikan stirred and looked at the person holding her hands. She smiled at herself.

"I'm sorry, Hotaru, but I have to go for the mean time. I promise you that I'll come back," she said before pulling out the dextrose in her arms. She removed Hotaru's hands and jumped out of the bed.

She went to the window and jumped but before she could completely fall, black wings appeared on her back lifting her in the air.

She flew to the forest and soon she was out of sight.

-x-

Hotaru felt the cold wind on her cheeks and shivered. She slowly opened her eyes and searched for someone.

She found the bed empty and Mikan was missing. Panic grew inside of her and she found herself running to her brother's office.

The door banged open and her brother looked at her.

"What's wrong?" he asked and came to Hotaru.

"M-M-Mikan is missing!" she said, shaking.

"What?" her brother suddenly shouted.

"We need to find her or it will be too late," he said after calming down. Hotaru nodded at him, she too had calmed down but panic was growing bigger and bigger inside of her.

"I'll definitely find you, princess, even if it means my life," she said before walking out of her brother's room.

-x-

Mikan was flying in the direction of the forest when she suddenly stopped in the middle.

"I know you're there, come out now," she said to no one. A figure walked to her and smiled.

"A certain person triggered your real side. I'm sorry, princess, but it's not time for you to wake up and to know everything," the girl said before walking to her.

She touched Mikan's forehead and a light formed. Soon Mikan was unconscious. The girl caught her and smiled sadly.

"I really am sorry, Princess Mikan, but now's not the right time," the girl said and started walking away with Mikan in her hands.

Unknown to her a certain girl was watching them.

"You're going down, Mikan Sakura," the stranger said while laughing madly to herself.

-x-


	3. Thank You

**Be cautious of the following**

*OC's

*OOCs

*errors

*wrong grammars

*misspelled words

*anything that you think is wrong then it's wrong except for the plot!

-x-

Playing with Her but soon Loving Her

_Transient Tears_

-x-

**Chapter 3 –**Thank You

"Princess! Princess, where are you?" Hotaru shouted through the night. Her brother was already out, looking for Mikan.

She called their classmates and informed them that Mikan was missing. Their friends were now looking for Mikan and lucky for Hotaru to shout the word 'princess' because no one can hear her. Or that was what she thought.

"Mikan!" she shouted her name this time and stopped for a minute to catch her breath.

She heard a rustling sound in her left. She looked at the bush and aimed her Baka Gun. "Come out!" she demanded. A girl with strawberry-blonde hair came out. It was none other than Luna Koizumi, Mikan's rival.

"What are you doing here, bitch?" Hotaru asked. It was unusual for her to ask such person like Luna.

"I saw your friend. In fact, I saw another girl with her but the girl made her unconscious," Luna smirked at Hotaru's expression for a second.

"Where is she?" Hotaru was now near to panicking but she kept her composure.

"Why should I tell you? She means nothing to me anyway," Luna said and started going away. When her back was exposed to Hotaru she was quickly shot by Hotaru's Baka Canon making her unconscious and sleeping in the ground.

"That's what you get by making Hotaru Imai pissed," Hotaru smirked before running again.

They searched and searched but didn't find Mikan. They were now in Subaru's office, looking worried.

"Let's look for Mikan tomorrow morning," Anna said and they all nodded. They bid their goodbye to Subaru and Hotaru. Subaru just nodded at them while Hotaru did nothing.

She was worried sick of Mikan. Her eyelids were fighting her to let her close them but she fought until she lost. Subaru picked up Hotaru and brought her to her dorm.

-x-

Natsume, who just happened to be back from his mission, was now walking in the middle of the forest. He overused his alice and he was now panting hard. He leaned in an oak tree and saw two girls not far from his location. One girl was holding the other. She was walking in his direction and out of instincts he hid from the top of the tree.

The girl stopped right below him and looked up. She smiled at him like she saw him. He looked at the unconscious girl. It was Mikan!

"Come down now. I know you're there, Hyuuga-sama," He was shocked to hear what the girl said. He jumped down and faced the girl. Again the girl smiled at him.

"It's nice meeting you, Natsume-sama, a pure devil," the girl's expression turned from pleasure to serious.

"Who are you?" Natsume asked with curiosity. He looked at the unconscious girl and raised an eyebrow.

"I can't tell you my real name but I have a favor to ask. Could you please help Mikan-sama get in the hospital?" the girl asked. Her voice was different from before, it turned from welcoming to caring.

"Why are you calling that idiot 'Mikan-_sama_'?" the lad emphasized the word 'sama' and pointed a finger at the unconscious Mikan.

The girl's sad smile was the only answer he got. "Please, Natsume-sama, take Mikan-sama to the hospital," the girl uttered and put Mikan slowly in the ground near Natsume.

"Hn," Natsume spoke one word and the girl smiled at him again before walking away.

-x-

Natsume looked at the figure below him. He picked up Mikan slowly and carried her bridal style. He felt relieved all of a sudden. He wondered if it was the girl's doings or it was because of his power.

He started walking to the direction of the hospital wing. He watched the sleeping brunette on his arms. For the first time he noticed the girl's beauty and just that, just because of that an idea formed in his head. A smile formed from his lips just thinking of his _great_ idea.

He reached the hospital but didn't use the front door instead he jumped from the ground up to the third floor where Subaru's office was located. It was a good thing that Subaru's office had a balcony, if not he wondered how he was going to go there.

He was now standing in front of a glass door. He opened the door and walked inside. He didn't know why but he was glad that nobody was there. He placed Mikan on the couch nearby. Again he looked intently to the brunette.

Unknown to himself he smiled, a true smile. He planted a kiss on the girl's cheeks and was shocked of his actions, nevertheless he felt refreshed. He was back to his reverie when he heard the cracking sound of the opening door. In a flash he was out of sight. He didn't stay further more for he knew what might happen. If only he stayed a little longer then he might heard what the brunette muttered.

-x-

Subaru walked in his office. He placed Hotaru back in her dorm room. He was exhausted from what happened this day. Even if he was a genius his mind had limitations, too. His sister told him that Mikan might be the lost princess they were looking for years and now she had gone missing.

He turned on the lights and was shocked to see the person they were looking for lying on the couch. He ran towards her and checked her if she was alright. Everything seemed fine. He picked her up and walked out of his room.

He placed Mikan on the bed in the same hospital room she was in before. He quickly called the nurse to tend to Mikan. He injected some medicines on Mikan, the nurses helped him. They checked her heartbeat, her temperature and checked if she had bruises and such. It was already 5:00 in the morning and he was exhausted to death. Any minute now Hotaru will come to him.

"Where is Mikan?" just as he predicted although he was glaring at his sister.

"Are you trying to break my door? And calm down okay? She's fine already," Hotaru sighed. She followed his brother to where Mikan is.

"How did you find her?" Hotaru asked after they arrived at Mikan's room. She sat at the chair beside the bed and held Mikan's hand tightly.

"When I came back in my office I saw her in the couch sleeping peacefully. It seems that someone brought her there since I saw my balcony door open," Subaru answered her question calmly.

"I'll rest for a few hours. You can stay here if you want but be sure to go to school. Your classmates might get worried," he said before walking out of the room. He glanced at his sister, and at the sleeping brunette in the bed before completely closing the door.

-x-

Natsume can't help thinking about the brunette this morning. Likewise, he dreamt of her. It was already 6:00 in the morning and everything was great.

The sky was peaceful; the birds were singing a melody that will make you want to hear it over and over again; the rustling of the branches and leaves of the trees were singing along with the birds; the whistling wind served as the background instrument just like an orchestra performing in front of a large amount of people in a dome. The only difference was only he can hear the beauty of nature and he was happy because of that. It felt relaxing.

He sat at the branch of a large sakura tree and leaned at its trunk. One of his legs was dangling from 0the branch. The wind stopped whistling. The trees were calm already but the birds were still chirping.

He suddenly felt a cold wind touched his face. It was like someone passed a message to him because he swore that he heard a voice right now. It was a familiar voice and he can't get rid of it from his head.

He heard the bell rang, signaling that school started. He didn't want to go to the classroom but Ruka might get worried since he knew that he was doing missions.

He slowly got up and again cold wind was pressed against his cheeks. It was not only the wind but there was a voice being carried by the wind. He ignored it and continued walking away.

-x-

Mikan stirred and slowly opened her eyes. The sun shone brightly inside the room. She looked around and noticed that she was in a hospital room. She remembered that yesterday night she was in the forest, and she even wondered how she got there. She remembered that she was in the middle of the forest, and after that she can't remember anything anymore.

She found no one in the room and out of nowhere her mouth moved by its own. The windows were open and cold wind entered the room bringing the message she muttered to a certain someone.

She heard the door of the bathroom creaked open and revealed a raven-haired girl. It was Hotaru. She looked at the bed and found Mikan awake. She ran at her side and held her hand. Mikan smiled at her.

"Hotaru, how did I get here? Besides I can't remember anything. All I remember was that I was in the middle of the forest and after that I don't know what happened next," Mikan told Hotaru everything she remembered yesterday night.

Hotaru didn't answer her. She was lost in her own thoughts. Mikan shook her and called her name. She blinked and looked at Mikan. It was unusual since she didn't glare or anything, she just looked at her.

"Hotaru, what are you thinking?" the oblivious brunette asked her cold best friend. Now she finally got the right expression from her best friend.

Hotaru glared at her. She smiled at her best friend. Hotaru raised an eyebrow at her since when she started glaring at her, Mikan will smile nervously but now she SMILED! Not that she was nervous or anything but one of her bright smiles.

"I'm glad that you're back to your old self, Hotaru. You seem to be spacing out and that you were worried and you knew that I don't want you to get worried over something especially if it's about me," Mikan said and Hotaru's eyes softened. She smiled one of her rare smiles at Mikan.

The bell rang and Hotaru had to leave. "School is starting. I have to leave now. Stay here okay? I'll buy you fluff puffs later. Get more rest," she said to Mikan and the latter pout at her.

"You're like a mother, Hotaru. It doesn't suit you but still thanks!" Mikan smiled at her. She walked away and glanced one last time at Mikan before closing the door.

Mikan's smile was gone. She looked at the window and this time she opened her mouth and muttered two words. At the exact same time cold wind sneaked to her room. She smiled at no one in particular and went back to sleep.

-x-

She dreamt a pair of hands holding her protectively. Keeping her safe. She felt the cold wind in her body. She stirred and tucked herself more to the warm thing that was wrapping her whole body. She felt warm hands wrapped around her tightly.

The hands that were holding her before were putting her down on a soft, comfortable thing. A brush of lips was pressed in her porcelain cheeks. A smile crept from her lips. She felt comfortable and safe.

She needed to thank this person tomorrow. She knew that somehow she already met this person.

-x-

Natsume was sitting in his chair, looking bored. Feet were placed on the top of the table, hands at the back of his head and a manga covering his face. But what everyone didn't know was that he was not sleeping. His eyes may be shut but his mind wasn't. He was thinking about the voice that he heard this morning. No matter what he did he can't forget about the voice being carried by the wind.

It was only two words and yet he was relaxed and happy. It was the words he never learned to say. A smirk made its way to his breathtaking face. The words kept ringing in his head. The voice was stuck to his mind, a voice that became music to his ear and the words that the voice brought him.

_Thank You_

-x-


	4. The unexpected new student!

**Be cautious of the following**

*OC's

*OOCs

*errors

*wrong grammars

*misspelled words

*anything that you think is wrong then it's wrong except for the plot!

-x-

Playing with Her but soon Loving Her

_Transient Tears_

-x-

**Chapter 4 –**The unexpected new student!

Everyone was calm today. What I mean was that everyone was not doing trouble. Some of them were chatting, playing and pulling pranks on their fellow classmates nevertheless they were NOT bothering their teachers.

The door burst open and in came a beautiful girl with brown hair and tantalizing brown eyes. It was none other than Mikan herself. Just last week everyone came looking for her. She was hospitalized for one week and only came back today.

Her classmates looked at her and smiled. She walked pass them and greeted them with a smile. They greeted back and continued their work. She reached her best friend's location and smiled at her.

"Good Morning, Hotaru," she greeted her best friend and continued walking to her seat. This action of hers shocked everyone since whenever she saw Hotaru she would pound at her while saying her name loud enough to break their ears but today was different.

"Is something wrong with Mikan?" that was the question that rang in everyone's head. And that was also the question that Koko, our mind reader, had read in their minds.

"Whoa, never thought that they all think the same," he said out loud not caring if anyone can hear him. And so not only anyone heard him but EVERYONE heard him.

"What do you mean, Koko?" Mochu asked. Everyone slapped their foreheads.

"It means that everyone was thinking if something was wrong with Mikan!" Sumire slapped the words to his face.

Hotaru walked to Mikan and looked at her intently. "Where's Mikan?" she asked, her façade not faltering to break. Everyone looked at her with questioning looks. "Where is Mikan? What did you do to her?" her voice hardened, eyes darkening. She got no answer from her. "I'm asking you Mikan is." her voice broke. She took her hands by force and pulled her up.

"Hotaru, what do you think you're doing to Mikan?" Anna asked, shaking Hotaru's body.

"This girl is not Mikan. I'll repeat. Where is Mikan?" she growled at the person. Her eyes darkened even more, her face showed that she'd kill the person if she won't answer.

"Put her down, Hotaru. Mikan is in the hospital, she collapsed while walking here. And you, stop impersonating Mikan!" they heard Narumi's voice. Hotaru had put her down and looked at Narumi intently.

"What do you mean she collapsed? I thought she's fine already," Hotaru said to Narumi. Everyone just looked at him with the same look.

"If Mikan's in the hospital, then who is this girl?" Yuu asked pointing to the girl who looked just like Mikan.

"It's the new student! Could you walk out for a minute so that I could introduce you to the class? And could you change to yourself?" he beamed and led the new student out of the door. He walked to the front and smiled at the class. This teacher was sure weird. Why send the student outside, so she could change back?

"Today, we have a new student. Please come in!" the new student came in but it was different now. True, it was a girl but her hair was longer than Mikan and it was straighter, and its color was black, her eyes were dark blue. She had a lot of curves. All in all she was a real beauty but her façade was like Hotaru's.

"Please introduce yourself," Narumi said which made everyone back to the world.

"I'm Akina, sixteen-years-old, wind and shape-shifting alice, dangerous ability, special star. And this is for all those people who like to bully Mikan-sama, don't you dare touch her or you'll regret being born in this world," she said, her emotions not breaking. Everyone gulped and nodded their head in response.

Hotaru walked to her and looked at her. "What are you doing here, Akina? And did you mean that Mikan is really the-" Hotaru started but didn't finish her second question. Akina looked at her and bowed.

"It's good to see you, Hotaru-sama, and yes, Mikan-sama is the one you're looking for. I'm here to stop the one responsible for triggering her real side. I need your support, Hotaru-sama," again the girl bowed at her.

"I was right, after all."

The class looked confused. A minute ago Hotaru was threatening the girl and now the girl was bowing to her and treating her like a royalty. What was more was that they couldn't understand what they were talking about.

The girl's gaze shifted and it landed to a certain flame caster. "We meet again, Natsume-sama," the girl then bowed to the lad. Now the class was more confused than ever.

"Who are you?" were the words that escaped the lad's mouth.

"It's still not the right time for you to know," Akina said and looked at Hotaru. Hotaru nodded at her and soon they started walking out of the classroom.

When they were gone, Luna who was sitting at the back smiled at herself. _So, it's you after all. In just a matter of time I'm going to kill you with my own hands,_was the thought she had.

Koko, who was trying to read everybody's mind, failed to read hers which was odd because Koko could always read her mind but today was different.

-x-

They reached the hospital and walked to her brother's office. Hotaru didn't knock and just banged the door open. Her brother looked at her and gazed at the person next to her. At first he just glanced but seconds after he was shocked to see the person.

"It's good to see you again, Subaru-sama," the girl bowed at him. He was back from his shock state and composed himself.

"What are you doing here, Akina?" he asked the same question Hotaru asked before.

"I'm here to stop the person who wants her dead. For the mean time let's investigate about that person and we have to protect Mikan-sama from whatever may happen in the future," her face darkened just like Hotaru's before though her eyes glowed.

"Akina, how did you know Hyuuga?" Hotaru asked her, voice cold and her face remained the same.

"I'm not going to tell you besides I want to see what he'll do after he realizes _it_," Akina laughed at herself and Hotaru got out her Baka Gun and then there it was. Shoot! Akina was hit by the Baka Gun and now she was lying on the floor.

"Why did you do that?" she questioned the Ice Queen which earned her a glare from Hotaru.

"Because you're annoying and again how'd you know Hyuuga?" Hotaru asked again this time her gaze was fixed on her. She didn't avert her eyes on Hotaru it was like they were having a mind war.

"You'll know soon when that person attacks," was the only answer Hotaru got from her. She ignored the feeling inside her that was telling her that Hyuuga had a secret that only Ruka, his best friend, knew. And whatever that secret was she was determined to find that out.

"Are we going to visit Mikan-sama or what?" Akina's voice brought her back from her reverie.

"Come with me," Hotaru said, leading the way.

Natsume was sleeping under his favorite sakura tree when Ruka walked to him. He climbed up and sat at one of the branches of the tree.

"Natsume, don't you think that Akina girl is not just an ordinary alice wielder maybe she's also from Hell," Ruka started, not even glancing at Natsume."And to top of that how'd she know Hotaru and Mikan? The way she talked to Hotaru it's like my girlfriend is a royalty or something and the way she spoke about Mikan it was like she wants to protect her," Ruka finished.

"Why do you care so much? Don't tell me that you're going to cheat on your girlfriend," Natsume teased and chuckled at Ruka's expression.

"What are you talking about? Of course I would NEVER EVER cheat on Hotaru!" he protested which earned Natsume a great idea.

"You really love her, don't you? Ruka, you must be forgetting something, she's a human and you're a devil. You two can never be together," Natsume reminded him but an invisible smile was plastered on his face.

"There are more things that you don't know about Hotaru," Ruka whispered so low that Natsume barely heard it.

"Did you say something?" Natsume asked, curious about the things that Ruka said.

"Nothing, do you want to visit Mikan today? I heard Hotaru and the new girl went to visit her and also our classmates will visit her today," Ruka changed the subject and jumped down from the tree.

"I still have something to do. Now go to your freak girlfriend," Natsume jumped down and started walking away.

"Hotaru is not a freak!" Ruka protested but a wave of hand was the only answer he got.

"If only you knew why I dated Hotaru. She's not an ordinary alice wielder as you all knew, she's far more than that," Ruka said to himself and started walking away to the direction of the hospital.

-x-

She was walking in a dark hallway with nothing but a small light coming at the end of the hall. She kept running to the direction of the light but the road seemed to get longer and longer every second.

She stopped and looked around but once she looked back the light was gone, the room lit up and corpses surrounded her. Human corpses can be seen lying on the floor, hanging on the ceiling and walls.

Somehow she was not scared at all instead she liked what she saw. A little girl walked to her and stopped right in front of her. The girl was smiling so she couldn't help herself but smiled back.

"What are you doing here, little girl?" she asked the girl as she knelt down and ruffled her hair.

"You shouldn't be here, nee-sama. Go back to where you came from or you'll be forever trapped here in the darkness. If you want I can show you the way out. Please don't come here anymore or you'll do what she wanted," the girl said that made her confused.

"What are you talking about, little girl? I don't understand what you're saying," she protested, hoping for the girl to tell her what's happening.

"You're Mikan Sakura, am I right, nee-sama?" instead the girl asked. All she could do was nod her head in response.

"Then I am right. You don't belong here. She may be wanted to wake the real you but until then I'm not going to let her. Even if I have to stop her, so does Akina-nee, Mikan-sama," the girl bowed at her and grabbed her hand.

"You have to get out of this place, Mikan-sama, before this place completely eats the humanity in you," the girl was terrified but still she dragged Mikan out of the place full of corpses.

"What do you mean? And who is this person you're talking about? Could you explain it to me in a way I could understand?" she asked the girl who kept dragging her outside.

"You must leave, Mikan-sama, before it's too late," the girl ignored her questions and continued running away.

Before they could reach the end of the room, a lady appeared and had a wicked smile on her face. "Where do you think you're going, Princess Mikan?" the lady said and wickedly laugh which brought shiver ran down on Mikan's spine.

-x-

Mikan bolted and shot her eyes open. She was panting and sweating heavily. She had another weird dream and again someone called her princess. She looked around and noticed that Hotaru was looking at her with bewildered eyes. She also noticed the girl standing next to Hotaru. She had a worried expression on her face.

"Mikan, are you alright?" Hotaru asked her and checked her if something was hurting her. She put her hands on Hotaru's shoulder and placed her back gently.

"I'm fine, Hotaru. I'm just having another nightmare. Who is this girl?" she asked after she convinced Hotaru that she was fine.

"This is Akina, the new student," Hotaru introduced the girl standing next to her. Akina bowed her head and smiled at Mikan.

"Have we met before?" Mikan asked and the girl smiled at her.

"It depends on you, Mikan-sama," the girl laughed and Mikan was confused. Somehow she had a feeling that she met this person before.

"You look like the girl in my dreams. The voice that keeps telling me that it was not the right time for the real me to wake up. I don't get it but you two have the same voice. And why are you calling me 'Mikan-sama'? You can call me Mikan if you want," she said to Akina.

"I can't do that, Mikan-sama," Akina answered her nonetheless. She smiled at Mikan.

"For what reason because if you want to call me 'Mikan-sama' I should at least know the reason, right?" Mikan insisted to know the reason but Akina only smiled at her.

"You'll know at the right time, Mikan-sama," Akina laughed at Mikan when she saw her master pouted at her answer. Her master was really like a child but deadly when angered.

"If you want, Mikan-sama, I could buy you fluff puffs later since everyone said that we're going to Central Town today," Mikan's face brightened at the mention of fluff puffs.

"And also buy me some chocolates!" Mikan said and cheered when Akina nodded her head.

"Be good, Mikan-sama. Well then Hotaru-sama and I will be going now," Akina said and headed for the door right after Hotaru stood up.

"Bye!" Mikan waved goodbye. She stood up when she knew that they were gone. She walked to the balcony of the hospital and looked at the sky painted with red and orange and the sun that was hiding behind the clouds.

"It's beautiful," she muttered and admired the sky more. She was smiling to herself when someone spoke behind her.

"It's beautiful like you," the voice belonged to a boy and Mikan turned around to look who was the owner.

"Natsume! What are you doing here?" she blushed when she remembered the words that Natsume said.

"Visiting you, what else?" Natsume said and walked to her. He leaned at the railings of the balcony and looked at the sky.

"You're bored, aren't you?" Mikan asked. Again she was looking at the sky as the paint darkened.

"Hn," was the only she got from the flame caster. It only confirmed that he was there because he was bored.

"Well, if you want you can talk to me. How are you anyway? I haven't seen you since I was hospitalized. I don't know what's wrong with me but I'm afraid to go out," Mikan's voice was shaking and soon she was crying.

Natsume looked at her and hugged her to ease the pain. "Cry until you feel alright. Don't worry I'm not going to leave you, so you don't have to be afraid," Natsume reassured her. Mikan cried more and hugged him tight.

"Thank you," Mikan thanked him after she was done crying. Instead of answering he claimed her lips in a passionate kiss.

Mikan was shocked and felt dizzy but soon she responded to his kisses. She felt butterflies flying in her stomach and the truth that she was enjoying this was not a lie. After minutes of battling they broke the kiss. She was breathing heavily when she looked at Natsume. When their eyes made contacts she flushed red and Natsume laughed at her.

"Why'd you do that?" she asked not glancing at him.

"I don't know either but you like it," he teased and Mikan flushed redder than ever.

She lightly punched his shoulder and laughed after. Soon they were laughing together but that ended fast when someone coughed on purpose. They both looked at the suspect and saw that everyone was looking at them. Anna and Nonoko have hearts on their eyes, Hotaru was capturing the moment and everyone was just amazed.

"Seems like you two are having your own time," Tsubasa said. Mikan getting the wrong idea flushed red.

"Mikan-sama, here are your fluff puffs," Akina handed her the fluff puffs and glared at Natsume but soon she smiled sweetly at him.

"Stay away from _my_ Mikan-sama," she said while smiling sweetly. She emphasized the word 'my'.

Everyone sweat dropped at the scene. Who would have known that the new girl, Akina who looked sweet was actually a deadly person?

"Thanks for the fluff puffs, Akina!" Mikan smiled and hugged her tight.

"Mikan, you shouldn't be jumping, you're not fine yet," Misaki said, worried for Mikan's health.

"Mou, Misaki-sempai, I'm F-I-N-E" Mikan spelled the word 'fine' and pouted at Misaki.

"If you say so, well then let's eat. I have pizzas," Misaki tried to cheer Mikan and it worked.

They were happily eating when Natsume sneakily went away. But luck wasn't on his side because Mikan saw him and followed him after.

"What are you doing here?" Mikan asked right after she settled herself sitting at the grass.

"I don't like crowds," he answered but somehow Mikan was not satisfied with his answer.

"You never do. Mind if I accompany you? I sneaked out of the hospital," she said and leaned at the trunk of tree. She closed her eyes as she felt the winds brushed her cheeks.

"Hn," Natsume said and sat beside her. Mikan didn't budge or anything but she shifted her head on Natsume's shoulder.

"Natsume, why don't you try to be normal? Act like everybody else. Hang out with the others," she said not opening her eyes.

"You can't change what I am. I'm not like everybody," He said not looking at Mikan. "I'm much more than what you think I am," it was a whisper that Mikan didn't hear.

"Did you say something?" she lifted her head and looked at Natsume whose eyes were close.

"Nothing," he answered and looked at Mikan. Their eyes made contacts but soon Mikan broke it. Again she leaned her head on Natsume's shoulder. Silence engulfed them until Natsume looked at Mikan.

She was sleeping. The moonlight reflected her face. In that very moment she was like a goddess that was punished to live on earth. Natsume found himself caressing her face. She placed Mikan's head on his lap and continued caressing her face.

"You need to fall in love with me and I-" he couldn't continue what he wanted to say for he knew that until now he was not sure if he wanted to continue his plan or maybe there was something else.

"You're really beautiful just like a goddess, _my_goddess," he said to himself. He shifted in a comfortable position and closed his eyes. Soon he found himself in a deep slumber.

Unknown to them the gang was looking for them and now they found them sleeping together. Natsume's hands were placed on Mikan's waist and Mikan's hands were on top of Natsume's hands.

Everyone admired them but Hotaru was capturing the moment and not only that Akina was also capturing the moment but she was furious. She said to everyone that she was only doing that to blackmail Natsume but Hotaru's reason was different she was doing this because of money, of course.

Hotaru stopped capturing them and looked at the sky. _'It's only a matter of time,'_she thought and continued what she was doing.

-x-

Akina slipped away and headed to the forest. Once she reached the middle of the forest she started chanting words and lights engulfed her whole body. Soon the lights were gone and in stepped Akina in different clothes. She was wearing a black shorts and a belt loop with two daggers on both sides. She was also wearing black sleeveless shirt. Soon her hair color turned to blue and her eyes became darker than usual.

"It's time to face the person in crime," she said to herself. Black wings formed at her back and now she was flying up in the sky searching for a certain person. What she didn't know was that a pair of eyes was watching her this whole time.

-x-


	5. Confrontation

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters.

**Claimer:**I own Akina and Kaze. And this story, of course.

-x- -x-

Playing with Her but soon Loving Her

_Transient Tears_

-x- -x-

**Chapter 5** – Confrontation

"Just who are you?" A raven-haired lad said to himself before vanishing to thin air.

-x-x-

A sleeping Mikan stirred when she felt the cold breeze on her cheeks. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around her. It was an unfamiliar place, a place she never knew before. The last time she remembered she was lying on a hospital bed since Natsume carried her there after they fell asleep, but now it looked like she was resting in a luxurious place.

"Where is this place?" she asked herself.

She was in a big room with a King-sized bed and four doors: one leading to the balcony, the other to the bathroom, the one on her right led to the walk-in closet, and the last one led to outside. The room was quite simple but its simplicity made it look exquisite.

"You're finally awake, Princess," a little girl suddenly appeared beside the bed. "You're in your room, Princess Mikan."

"Who are you? What is this place?" Mikan asked the girl. She can't remember anything.

"I'm Kaze, Princess. Right now, you're inside of your dream," she explained but Mikan was too occupied by her thoughts. "Please get some rest, Princess. You would soon engage yourself in a battle."

She was about to ask what she meant by that but Kaze left immediately. She felt her eyelids getting heavy and in a matter of time darkness crept up in her.

-x-x-

Akina was flying around for quite some time now and she hadn't found what she was looking for. She looked at some places where people were hard to find. She fled around the whole Academy for two straight hours but she still found none. She searched the Northern Forest but the result was still the same.

She hadn't found any clue yet, but she knew that the person she was looking for was the same person who wanted the Princess dead years ago.

It all started when the King and Queen sealed the Princess' powers and let her live at the outside world. They did it because their greatest enemy wanted her dead. They wanted to steal her powers. The power that could make you rule the three worlds: the Heaven, the Human world or known as Earth, and the Netherworld or Hell.

She remembered the times when she would play with her dear Princess. The time when she helped her escaped from their grasp. She remembered them clearly like it only happened yesterday. What she didn't understand was why the Princess' parents had to seal her powers and let the enemies escaped. She didn't know what their true intentions. She always wondered why they were like that. It was something that even she, the Princess' personal bodyguard, couldn't understand.

Just when she was about to retire for the day and visit Mikan, a light coming from the middle of the Northern Forest caught her attention. It wasn't there before, so why was there a light in the Forest? She had only one assumption to what it was. It was the person she was looking for, the one who wanted the Princess' powers.

-x-x-

Hotaru was standing in her balcony thinking about the past. She remembered the things they did when they were still a child. Mikan was never allowed to go outside and she was always there for her though nothing changed since that time. Mikan would always try hugging her but she would shoot her with her Baka Gun. She would also tease Mikan just to see her reaction.

She remembered the time when they tried going to the marketplace. They successfully sneaked out but some bullies bullied them and she ended up using her inventions on them. Their parents knew what happened and they were grounded. She also remembered the time when Mikan's parents had sealed her powers and had let the enemies escaped. Since then they were searching for her until they discovered that she was brought here to Earth.

They never thought that the Mikan, her human best friend, was the one they were looking for. She looked different from what they could remember, and somehow her memory seemed hazy.

A light coming from the Northern Forest brought her back from her reverie. She looked intently at the light and decided to check it out. She ran to the forest's location without further delay. She met Ruka on the way.

"Hotaru!" Ruka was shocked to see her. "What are you doing here?"

"That's my line," she said. "I'm going to the Northern Forest."

"Wait. I'm coming with you," Ruka said to her. She left him do whatever he wanted after all he was her lovely, devil boyfriend.

She knew it all along. Ruka was a devil, and so was she. They were perfect for each other. Despite Ruka's nice appearance, he was much more dangerous than her. So she could rely on him when it came to times like this.

-x-

_It's about time. _A woman clad in black thought.

She continued what she was doing and smiled for herself. Her visitors were coming here and her real target will be awake soon. She will do any means just to kill her. She was the reason why their family suffered. She wasn't supposed to be here. She was supposed to be in the palace, ordering the maids, looking at her reflection in the mirror, admiring her beauty – but no – they threw them out. They were cheated.

She stopped what she was thinking and smiled at herself. _They're coming. _She thought. Indeed, they were actually coming.

She spun around and faced her pursuers. Two girls and two boys, one was hiding in the dark. She smiled once again for she knew the one hiding was the Prince. The one and only Prince she wished was hers. But he laid his eyes on someone. Someone she knew very well.

"You!" Akina's voice brought her back to the world. She looked at her through her mask.

Yes, she was wearing a mask. She won't allow her to see her face… not yet. She smiled at her and bowed her head slightly. Before she could muster a word, her other pursuers came. Hotaru's gaze was fixed to her eyes only. Ruka was looking at her calmly and the last one was just looking at her. She smiled once again.

"Welcome to my castle, Prince Ruka, Akina, Hotaru, and… _Prince Natsume_," as she said the last name, the three weren't surprised. Their senses were as sharp as the fearless lions.

Natsume leapt out of the tree he was standing at. He looked at the woman in front of them. He raised an eyebrow at her, meaning that he was curious about the mask. She just smiled at him and bowed at them.

"Once again, welcome to my castle," She looked at them and smiled a traitorous smile.

She turned around and began walking. They silently followed her until they came to a clearing. The forest was no longer a forest; a castle stood in front of their very eyes, a castle as big as Natsume's. Tall towers, big gardens, Gothic ornaments here and there, and last but not least, the carved flag that held the symbol of the kingdom or family. It was just your typical castle.

They were led to a garden at the far northeast of the castle. There were tables and chairs, different kinds of beautiful flowers, and a fountain with a beautiful maiden statue stood in the middle of the garden.

"Why don't we have tea before we get to our real purpose?" the woman said. She walked to the direction of the table but Hotaru stopped her in her tracks.

"We're not here to have teas and such," Hotaru began. "You know why we're here."

"Of course. You're here because you want to kill me."

"Who are you?" Akina asked, composed as ever. "Why do you want to kill the Princess?"

"My name doesn't matter right now, besides I doubt you already know who I am," the woman said. "It's about time."

"What do you mean?" Ruka, for the first time they arrived at the castle, spoke. "And who is this Princess? Don't tell me it's –"

He couldn't finish his words. The woman looked at him and smiled a vicious smile. She looked once again at Akina and Hotaru and smirked at them.

"The time, the time that I've been looking forward to, has come," she said. Akina and Hotaru knew that this time was inevitable and that all they could do was wait for it. "She has awakened."

-x-x-

Mikan was having dreams she never understood. She kept stirring back and forth in her bed. In her dreams people were telling her to run, run away from the enemies.

"_Mikan! Run! Don't let them catch you! They'll kill you!" _it kept ringing in her head. Who was this person? She can't understand them.

"_Don't forget who you are,"_it's the same voice again. She was sweating heavily even though the AC was on.

"_I'll kill you and your family! I'll gain powers from you!" _a woman clad in black shouted at her. This time she was being held by someone. The girl's face was blurred, everything in there was blurred. She couldn't see their faces.

The pictures kept changing from one to another. She was running from something she didn't know. She entered a room and dead bodies were lying everywhere in the ground. She was shouting 'Father! Mother!' over and over again. When it seemed like she reached the end of the room, the same woman was thrusting a sword to a man's body.

When she took a good look at the man lying in the ground, she was horrified. It was her father, her beloved father! The woman was gone and her mother was nowhere to be found. She was still bewildered by what she saw that she didn't know her mother was already hugging her.

"Mikan, live peacefully on Earth and when the time comes avenge your father and everyone," her mother said to her. She remained stiff. Lights were beginning to form around her body. Her mother hugged her one last time.

Just before the light engulfed her whole body, she saw the same woman thrusting a sword to her mother's chest. She heard her mother's last word to her before she was completely transported from Netherworld to Earth and just before her mother's last breath died.

-x-

The sleeping Mikan bolted up from her beds. She was panting heavily and tears were streaming down her face. She couldn't understand everything she dreamt. Were the people there really her parents? How about her being a princess? For all she knew she was a foster child, so she didn't know her biological parents. But she was sure that the people in her dreams were her parents. She saw how her father and mother were killed and what of the woman's last word? She said she was her child. She can't handle it anymore. She couldn't understand one bit of it.

Her head hurt like hell thinking about it, like it was going to burst out soon. Voices keep ringing in her head. They were the same voices. They kept telling her to run. But one voice was telling her to do not forget who she was. It was a woman's voice. Her mother?

There was the same voice again. This time it was different, the words she was telling was different.

"_Mikan, dear, it's time for you to wake up. Remember who you are."_

Just as she heard those words, images entered her mind. From the day she was born up to the day she witnessed her parents' death. The images stopped and she was crying from the pain. It hurt so much. The headache was long gone but the pain in her heart was still there. The pain she got from her parents' death, from everyone's death. She was going to avenge them. She was going to avenge their deaths.

She stood up and headed toward the balcony. As she walked through the room, her appearance changed. Her hair was much longer than before, her hospital dress was replaced by a one-piece black dress, black wings grew on her back, a tear symbol was visible in her forehead indicating that she was the Princess of Netherworld, and a tuberose flower tattoo was carved in her left arm while on the other, a purple rose shone bright and proud.

The tuberose that was carved in her left arm indicated that you may find happiness in her but that happiness were dangerous. Tuberose indicated dangerous pleasures. It suited her personality as a princess. The purple rose on her right arm, however, indicated a different meaning. Purple roses held different meanings but in her case it meant 'glorious, opulence, and majestic'. She was a royalty and purple roses suited her best. These tattoos were sealed before to hide her identity but now there was no reason for her to hide them.

She was going to confront the person who killed her parents and people. She'll make her pay. The once bubbly and hyper Mikan was gone, the real Mikan had awakened. She looked at the bright, round moon before concealing herself in darkness.

-x-x-

They were walking around this maze for half an hour already and they still hadn't found the way out yet. Hotaru was using her invention (that suddenly popped out of nowhere) to find the exit. Natsume, however, was not with them. The woman took him away. For whatever reason, they didn't know.

"Damn!" Akina's voice rang through the maze. Ruka looked at her as if she was a parasite. "How are we going to get out of this twisted maze?"

"It's like we're walking round and round," Ruka said.

"That's because we're _really_walking round and round," Hotaru pointed out the fact. This time Akina and Ruka looked at her. "I've put some beans on the way just to keep us in track and just now –"

She didn't finish her words instead she picked up a funny looking bean that was giggling. It was _not_a normal bean, they were sure of that.

"– we crossed the same way," Hotaru faced them and let them see the bean. "We're walking round and round for three times now."

"What?" They both shouted at Hotaru. Hotaru, who already knew that they were going to react like that, had put the weird beans. Earplugs.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Akina asked. "It would have been easy to get out of here if you tell us sooner."

"It's because I thought you two already figured it out," Hotaru said as she removed the earplugs from her ear. "Anyway, let's get out of here."

They began walking again but something made Hotaru and Akina stopped in their tracks. Ruka rushed over to them as soon as he saw them clutching their chests. They looked to be in so much pain. Ruka didn't know what to do. Even though he was a devil, when it came to times like this he didn't know what he should do. He began stroking their back but Hotaru jerked his hand away.

He was going to protest but the two girls stood up like nothing happened, though you can't hide the fact that they were panting heavily. He walked over to them and looked at them worriedly.

"Are you two alright?" he asked. He was worried for them but he was much more worried for Hotaru since, well, she was his girlfriend. "What happened?"

"The Princess, –" Akina began. He already had an assumption what would be the continuation of that sentence. "– she has awakened _completely_."

"The seal was broken," Hotaru said. Akina looked at her wide-eyed. "Her powers are much stronger than before."

"We need to stop her or else," Akina said. Ruka knew about the princess but he didn't know who that princess was.

Akina began concentrating on her magic. Minutes passed but nothing happened. Akina looked at Hotaru and Ruka. Hotaru, genius as usual, got her message. This time it was her turn to concentrate on her magic. Somehow, she managed to make a small flicker but it went right away.

"I can't use my magic," she said. "Ruka, try using yours."

Ruka, who unconsciously nodded his head, began using his magic. But just like Hotaru and Akina, he also couldn't use it. He looked at the two girls and they both nodded in agreement. They were going to combine their powers in order to get out of this maze. All of them linked their hands and began chanting words. Words unfamiliar to human but familiar to devils. It was now or never.

-x-x-

Natsume was sitting in a chair opposite to the woman. He looked at her and did nothing. He didn't know what happened to the others. He was forced to follow her here, a room that only contained tables and chairs.

"She has awakened," The woman said. He raised his eyebrows – as usual. "The princess has awakened. She's going here."

"Who is she?" he asked. He couldn't bare the curiosity anymore. He knew that Akina and Hotaru knew this "Princess" and it seemed like this person also knew her. "What is her name?"

"You already knew her."

"Who?"

"She's the princess of your world – or should I say – _our_world."

"The true princess of Netherworld."

"That's correct. She has awakened. It was believed that she has lived on Earth trying to escape from their enemies – trying to escape from _me._"

"What?" Natsume was rendered speechless. It was so not like him.

He knew who that princess was, everyone knew her. But they didn't know what she looked like. It was believed that she died long ago, but there was still no proof of that. Their world was divided into five kingdoms or provinces, if that was what it was called. However, they were still controlled by the most powerful kingdom. It was like a government. They were controlled by the King and Queen. But they were long gone. And that included the only heir to the throne.

"I need to send you somewhere," he was back from his thoughts when the woman spoke. "It wouldn't be fun if you are here."

He was suddenly engulfed by lights and soon he was gone.

"Welcome, Mikan – no – _Princess_Mikan, to my castle," the woman said. She turned around and faced the princess.

-x-


	6. The start of everything

**Disclaimer:: **Do I really need to say it?

**Claimer:: **Akina and Kaze. And the story.

**Warning:: **Major OOCness may occur. Sudden change of scenes.

-x- -x-

Playing with Her but soon Loving Her

_Transient Tears_

-x- -x-

**Chapter 6 – **The start of everything

"It's working," Akina said, her voice panting. "Let's keep this up."

"Shut up, Akina," Hotaru said, voice also panting.

"Girls, just stop," this time it was Ruka.

They were doing this thing for thirty minutes already and the labyrinth was not even faltering. They were worried, Hotaru especially, since they couldn't sense the Princess anymore. It had been half an hour since she awakened and they had no idea what was happening around her.

The labyrinth suddenly shattered to pieces. Petal-like glass scattered around them; they quickly used the opportunity to escape. A second had passed, and they were gone.

-x-

"Princess Mikan, what a delightful thing for me to earn this visit!" the woman exclaimed, amusement written on her face. "You have awakened after such a long time."

"Why did you kill my people?" Mikan asked in a shrilling, high-pitched voice. "Who are you?"

"Now, now, Princess Mikan, why don't we sit and drink some tea?"

"You know that I'm not here for such things. Answer me!"

"It's a long story but you might not believe it. After all, I always lie for my sake."

"Just answer my question. Who are you and why did you attack my people?" she asked again. She will never ever forgive this woman.

"To make the long story short, it's because I hate you."

"Your name?"

"You already know me. We go to the same school."

"You're –" Mikan began when an explosion from afar had cut her off.

The masked woman smirked, Mikan looked at the scene and noticed three figures.

"They had broken out," the woman said, clearly amused at what was going to happen. "Anything they'll do for their little princess."

The three devils ran to where the masked woman and the Princess were. Ruka still didn't know who was the Princess and just followed the two. The two servants, however, were sweating heavily, they were bewildered about something. The long corridor seemed to never end.

Alas, they reached the end and saw the masked woman together with the… Princess.

Mikan's back was turned on them, but she didn't need to turn around to know who was behind her. It was her best friend, her loyal bodyguard, and Ruka.

She was completely aware of her two servants' anxiety, and the curious stare she was getting from Ruka. She knew that he was a devil, she could sense it from him.

Hotaru and Akina looked at the figure in front of them. It really was the Princess! They looked at her arms to see if she had fully awakened. There, they saw the symbols: a tuberose and a purple rose. They were horrified for a minute, but went back to their calm state.

They knelt in front of her and said in an admiring tone, "Welcome back, Princess."

Ruka, who remembered that the girl in front of them was the Princess of their world, also knelt. He still didn't know who this person was but something about the shade of her hair was telling him that he knew this person.

Slowly, she turned around to face the three. And slowly, the time dragged away.

-x-x-

Natsume was back to his dorm. He was completely aware of the woman's power. She appeared to be much more powerful than him or maybe it was because he was at her territory. He didn't know where Ruka and the others were. And he didn't know if the reason he was sent away was because of the Princess. But he was pretty sure that it was the reason.

Come to think of it, that Akina girl and Imai were there. He now knew why Ruka dated Imai. She was a devil. But who was Akina? Was she somehow related to the Princess? If so, then why was Imai also there? Was she also related to the Princess? And who was the Princess, anyway.

He won't think of it anymore. Ruka could handle himself well. He'll ask them tomorrow. For now, he had to go back to Netherworld.

-x-x-

"Mikan?" Ruka asked, surely this girl could not be Mikan, right? "Is that really you?"

"Yes, Ruka," Mikan answered him in that shrilly voice. "Hotaru, Akina."

"Yes, Princess?" Akina answered, bowing to her once more. "What is it?"

"I have questions for you. Tell me the answers later."

"Yes, Princess."

"Mikan, how?" it was Hotaru who spoke. "Why?"

"Later. We need to deal with her first," Mikan said, pointing to the masked woman.

"The reunion seems to be over now," the woman said, smiling. "This is not the right time to fight but I'll tell you one thing, Princess."

She moved closer to Mikan. The three automatically guarded Mikan from her. She laughed, that same amusement painted on her eyes. Mikan waved her hands, telling them that it was alright. The woman moved to her side, near to her ears and whispered something.

"I killed your beloved parents."

-x-x-

_Netherworld_

The oracle was in shock. The King, Natsume's father, was also in shock at what he heard. They needed to go up and search for her. She must be found at once.

The door burst open and in came his son.

"Natsume, how are you?" at the mention of Natsume's name, the oracle looked up to see the Prince.

Formalities put aside, she rushed to him and held his hands up. "You!" she said.

"Oracle," Natsume said, already knew the reason of her reaction.

"Have you seen her?" she asked.

"No. Someone wants to kill her and my power was deflected by her."

"We must stop her or else…"

"Else what, oracle?"

"It will be the end of everything."

-x-x-

_Back to the castle_

Mikan was in rage; she grabbed the woman's shirt and pulled her up to a nearby wall. The woman just smirked at her, still amused at the Princess' expression.

Hotaru and Akina were alarmed; they tried to calm the Princess but to no avail. Ruka also helped them.

"Mikan, calm down," Hotaru said, worried for her. "Put her down and relax."

"I told you that this is not the right time to fight," the woman repeated, still laughing at the Princess. "I'll bid my farewell to you this time, Princess. We'll see each other again, soon. When the red moon appears."

And she was gone, just like a bubble. She was suddenly gone. They were back to the forest. Back to the Academy.

Mikan punched the nearby tree, causing it to break. Hotaru and Akina walked to her and tried touching her but they were blocked by her. They moved away, completely aware of the Princess' rage.

Ruka, who was watching them the whole time, didn't even dare touch Mikan. He knew the legends about her, he knew who Mikan was, and at the same time he didn't know the real Mikan.

"Ruka, do not tell anyone about me," Mikan suddenly said, her back facing them. Ruka looked to her. "No one should know about me. Not now."

"I understand," he answered. Natsume was part of that "no one".

"Akina, you should act the same as Hotaru. Don't care about me too much," she said to her bodyguard.

"But –" Akina started.

"Please, Akina. I have to do some things on my own. And also everyone won't get suspicious of us."

"I understand, Princess."

"Call me Mikan when there are people around us," she said, opening her black wings. "And Hotaru, act the same."

Hotaru just nodded at her. Akina bowed. Ruka did the same.

"Leave me alone for today. I want to be by myself," and she flew off.

She didn't know where she wanted to go. She just flew and flew, and stopped at one of the academy's rooftop. She returned to her other-self. The Mikan that everyone knew, just in case. She sat, put her arms on her knees, and put her head on it. She cried her heart out. Trying to rid of the pain in her chest.

-x-x-

"Natsume, you must find this person, soon," the oracle told Natsume. "She will try and release the Princess' powers. You must find and defeat this person."

"Who is this person?" he asked, curiosity getting the best of him. "She was wearing mask when I saw her."

"Be careful of your surroundings," the oracle didn't answer his question and just continued talking. "She's near. She's watching your every move."

"I will," he said, turning to his father. "I'm going back."

His father just nodded at him and told him to be careful. He was really curious about the woman from before, the oracle didn't tell him the name, she just warned him. He already knew the dangers right when he saw her. But the thing that made him more curious was the Princess. Who was she?

-x-

Mikan was still crying when the door of the rooftop opened. She heard footsteps going to her but she didn't bother looking up. She already knew the person in front of her. It was the familiar butterfly in her stomach.

The person decided to sit beside her. Minutes had passed and the sobs coming from Mikan was the only thing that could be heard. Neither one of them said a word. Half a minute passed when Mikan decided to look up and looked at the person beside her.

"Natsume, why are you here?" she asked, tears streaming down her face. "Did you have another mission?"

He didn't answer, didn't even look at her, he just stared at the sky. Mikan stared at him. How long had it been since they knew each other?

"Will you listen to my story?" she asked, again.

"Hn," was his reply. She smiled at him, tears still visible in her eyes.

"I had a beautiful nightmare."

"A beautiful nightmare? Are you getting crazy, polka?"

She laughed at the nickname, the first time for that fact. Natsume gave her a funny look. This girl must have really lost her mind.

"No, it's not that," she stopped laughing now. "I must have really missed that nickname."

"What's really up?"

"Ne, Natsume, where are your parents?" she asked, a hint of sadness trailing off. "Are they alive?"

He didn't answer. Mikan didn't care, anyway; she just wanted to ask him. She never expected the black cat to answer her, anyway.

"Mine are already dead. I was adopted by grandpa since I was young. I never fully remembered my parents."

She sniffed. Damn, these tear ducts! She was crying again. Natsume didn't say anything, he just let her be, but he did grabbed her shoulder and let her lean at him. Mikan cried at his chest, pouring every pain out.

"Thank you, Natsume," she said after minutes of crying. "I'll go now and sorry for wetting your shirt."

"Hn."

"I'll see you tomorrow in class then," she said as she slowly got up.

Mikan was long gone when Natsume decided to go back to his room. The girl's trust was in his grasp now. He knew it, could feel it. Oh, he loved being a devil. But he also needed to do his sudden mission here while he continued with his plan.

-x-x-

Mikan was in her room, sitting in front of her dresser mirror. Her face was void of any emotion, her tears had stopped falling. She was done crying. She won't cry anymore. She will take her revenge now that she knew who she really was, and who her enemy was.

The incident today was the start of everything.

And it was also the start of her dangerous feelings.

-x- -x-

-x- -x-

Quite short, don't you think so? Haha. Sorry about that. But I really can't think of anything else to write. Well, this story will only run for 10 chapters.

I hope you enjoyed reading! :)


	7. Could it be?

**Disclaimer: **You know it already. :)

**Claimer: **Akina and Kaze are mine.

**Warning: **Major OOCness may occur. Sudden change of scenes. Long chapter.

-x-x-

**Playing with Her but soon Loving Her**

_Transient Tears_

-x-x-

**Chapter 7 – **Could it be?

-x-

"Natsume, what do you mean?" Ruka asked his best friend. He must have heard wrong. "Are you really sure about that?"

"Yes, Ruka," he answered. He didn't know why Ruka was acting like that. He knew about his playful side, and it was the first time he acted like that. "Why are you being like this, Ruka?"

"Stop, Natsume," he warned. He knew Mikan; he knew who she was. "Don't continue your plan. Focus on your mission right now."

"I thought you loved Imai?" he teased. Ruka must be acting like that because Mikan was Imai's best friend. But why did he look… scared?

"I do. It's just that, you don't know Mikan."

"I know her. And I will still continue my plan. Not even you can stop me," Natsume walked away from him, missing the sadness that passed in Ruka's eyes.

Ruka could only sigh at his best friend's stubbornness. He warned him, and he didn't listen. Natsume didn't know Mikan; no one knew about Mikan except the five of them: him, Hotaru, Akina, Subaru, and that mystery person. Natsume didn't know who she really was.

-x-

"Mikan, are you alright?" Hotaru asked with worry in her eyes.

"I'm fine. I'm going to find her tonight."

Akina and Hotaru looked at her. They knew that she was not alright. Mikan had told them how she got her memory back, how she got her powers back. But she never told them who the person from before was. Only Mikan knew.

They were also ordered to hide their presence, in which they obeyed. She tried acting as usual, but even the gang knew that something was wrong about her. She didn't want to talk to anyone. Lately she was spotted together with Natsume, and the three knew that Mikan already knew who he was.

"I'm going," they heard Mikan. Akina quickly walked to her. "No, Akina. I want to be alone."

Akina looked at Hotaru, her eyes questioning. Hotaru only shook her head. She knew that Mikan wanted to search by herself. She knew what she was feeling. It had only been three days since the incident after all.

-x-

"Natsume, are you here?" Mikan asked. She was standing under the cherry blossom tree. She wanted to talk to Natsume, to calm her nerves. He was a good listener after all. "Hello?"

"Polka," Natsume's deep voice answered her. She looked up, and saw a foot dangling from one of the trunks. "What are you doing here?"

She climbed the tree, positioned herself beside Natsume, and sighed. "I wanted to talk to someone."

"Why bother me? Ask Imai or anyone," he sounded annoyed. "Go away, Polka.

"I won't. Just listen to me, okay?" Mikan smiled at him. He had planned to play with her, but what was wrong with him?

"Fine," he looked away, not being able to handle that beautiful smile. "What is it this time?"

"Nothing much. It's just that…I can't forget my parents."

It was the same as the last time they talked. Mikan would say her worries, her fears, and her problems. And all he would do was quietly listen to all of it. When it came to her, he was always patient. It was new. Everything he was feeling with her was foreign to him.

He quietly listened to her tale, patiently waited until she finished, all the while draping an arm around her shoulder, comforting her in ways that he knew would give her peace. It was ironic that he knew how to give peace to others when he was a devil who was supposed to loathe it.

"Thank you," he heard her say. He turned to her and grunted in response. She smiled at him before standing up. "I'm going back now."

He watched her run away from him, the strange warmth that engulfed him moments ago was gone. The fluttering in his stomach went away with her. He was cold once again.

"Natsume!" a voice shouted from afar. He looked at the source and saw Ruka running to his direction.

"What is it?" he asked, noting the worried expression Ruka had. "Has something happened?"

"A movement was caught at the Eastern Forest. It looks like some of the devils went up to cause havoc in this school."

"Why?"

"Hotaru sent a camera to view their movements. As far as we are concerned, we have to stop them at all costs. I received a call from mother. She said that someone had managed to break inside one of the facilities in Netherworld, in turn freeing the devils there."

"Which facility?" he asked, though from Ruka's look, he already knew the answer. "It's the one that holds the traitors from the tragedy, isn't it?"

Ruka nodded at him. There was only one person who would do that. It was no doubt that it was the same woman from last time. Ruka knew it too, that he was sure. He had to find her fast and stop her actions.

-x-

"Princess," Akina said after seeing her back. Mikan's face was smiling again. She sighed in relief. It looked like the pain she was feeling was lessening.

"What happened, Akina?" she looked up at her when Mikan spoke. "Hotaru sent a note to me, saying that something has happened in Netherworld."

"The woman from last time had finally made a move. She broke inside one of the facilities and freed her family's supporters and minions. In short, she freed the traitors from the tragedy to gain more power. They're now in the Eastern Forest, preparing to cause trouble in this side. Ruka-sama went to Natsume-sama to relay the news, and Hotaru-sama is watching their movements. I put on a barrier to hold them for a little while but I'm afraid that it won't hold for very long. What shall we do, Princess?"

"We're going to confront her. She's waiting for me, I know that. It's true that she wants some power but at the same time, she's pushing me to come out and reveal my secret to him. We can't let that happen. As much as possible, hide my presence to him. Distract him, put him somewhere, do anything just so he wouldn't know. It's not yet time. I don't want to get him hurt."

Akina stared at her master, smiling sadly in her place. Mikan couldn't help falling for Natsume, and if the enemy knew of this fact, she would use him to her advantage and to their disadvantage. Her master had lived most of her life in the human world, adapting their nature, and making her cold heart warm. She didn't seem like a devil in literal sense. She was more like a dangerous human. Her malicious intent and everything that went with the word were not in her body. She was more like a fallen angel that made a mistake and was punished to live in her wrongdoings.

"We're going, Akina," she looked up once again and nodded. Mikan was already at the window, ready to jump. She followed suit and readied herself for another confrontation.

"It's time."

-x-

"What's the situation, Hotaru?" Ruka asked as they stood beside her in the rooftop. "Did they manage to break the barrier?"

"We're not doing very well on our side, and Akina's barrier will break in ten minutes. I already sent word to my brother and the other devils located in this school. The gang was also doing their job as protectors of the school. They're blocking the possible entryway inside the buildings, but for how long they can keep that up, I don't know. Their powers are only half of ours, after all."

"What's Akina and the gang had to do with this?" Natsume asked. Ruka and Hotaru knew that they had to tell him the truth if they want to move faster. One look at each other and they sighed.

"Akina is a devil like us. I think you already figured that out. As for the others, they're Halflings. We didn't really mean to hide it from you seeing as there's really no reason to tell it. And you know that Halflings are scorned in our world. They were the protectors of this school. They're not the only Halflings here though but they are more powerful than the others. They're also working under me and Hotaru, for a while now."

"Why?" they knew the question was meant for the last sentence. Why Hotaru? What was her position? Who was she? Those were the silent questions associated with that single word.

"I'm a part of the royal family's personal bodyguard and intellect. The gang's devil parents are working under my family. Now stop asking question, Hyuuga, and help us."

Natsume watched their reaction for a minute and nodded. He knew that there were more to it than that. Imai had mentioned something working for the royal family. He was sure that she knew the princess—whoever that was—and they were hiding it from him. But why?

"Five minutes and the barrier will break. Can you make another barrier, Hyuuga? We need to time it with the current barrier's time. One slip and the traitors will have a chance to get out. For now, they're banging the barrier, trying to force it to break. Prepare yourself and Ruka will coach you to release it. We only need to keep it for at least half an hour."

"_That way Mikan will have more time to stop the traitors and find the enemy," _Ruka thought to himself. He nodded to Natsume and they began their works.

-x-

"As expected, they're eating the bait. We can capture our real target when they make a move to stop us. The princess is a fool for laying out her weakness," the masked woman said. She glanced at her left and smiled at the frozen figure. "We can finally fulfill our greatest wish, master."

"She's here in the area, Ma'am, together with Akina."

"Prepare the gates. They will manage to defeat every one of them. I will meet her after her fight," she looked at her right and smirked at the person. "Prepare yourself. Your job is coming."

"You play dirty, you know that?" the person said, grinning at her. "You know that casting a barrier for a long time take its toll on the caster's body, especially if it's not the caster's specialty."

"Devils always play dirty. You should know that by now, Goshima."

-x-

"Ten seconds more, Natsume," Ruka said, counting down the time. "Ten… nine…"

They watched as the barrier from the Eastern Forest cracked. It was breaking. Just a little bit more. They had to time it.

"Two…one… Now!"

Natsume released a powerful light, blinding their eyes from its intensity, to the direction of the forest. The first barrier had broken; in its place was the new barrier. They had made it. They successfully casted another barrier.

"Are you okay, Natsume?" Ruka crouched down to his level. He was kneeling down; the side effect of casting the spell was taking place. "Is it because of the spell?"

"I'll be fine in a few minutes. Don't worry too much, Ruka. How are the others? No one has managed to escape?" the last question was directed to Hotaru.

"Thankfully no one had escaped. The barrier will last for thirty minutes. I'll be going, Ruka. I need to check the others' status. I caught a signal near the elementary section. Watch closely. I'll be back in twenty minutes."

Ruka nodded at her, giving her a chaste kiss. She looked taken at his action but gave him a small smile, afterwards. She turned to leave the two.

"You're getting sappy, Ruka," he heard Natsume spoke. He was lying down, arms underneath him, and eyes closed. "When did you get like that?"

"Since I met her. She's wonderful, intelligent, beautiful, and—"

"—deadly. Even if she's not a devil, just look at her attitude. Just how painful is her inventions, anyway?"

"Too painful. I accidentally became a victim once by her Baka Gun. It was supposed to be for Koko, but someone had bumped into him, and the bullet went straight to me since I was walking behind him."

Natsume laughed at that. He rarely laughed but the thought of Ruka getting hit was just too hilarious. He didn't know why he found it too funny though. "And what happened next?"

"I was hospitalized for a week," Ruka sighed, remembering the painful days. Natsume looked at him, questioning. "The gun was newly improved at that time. After that incident, the academy confiscated it, and Hotaru made a new one. But much more restrained, I guess, than the last time."

"Tell me more about Mikan," he said, looking at the sky. He suddenly had the urge to know more about her. "Do you know her past?"

"_Of course. Even you know it, Natsume."_ But instead of that thought he said, "She was adopted by her grandfather. She and Hotaru met when Hotaru's family moved to her town. She said that their meeting was a peculiar one since Hotaru asked her to be her partner in a contest. Since then they became inseparable. To make the long story short, the academy had tracked down Hotaru and in order to save the school, she went with them. Mikan ran away and followed her here. Narumi was the one who found her and that was the start of her journey with us."

"And her parents?"

Ruka took a short look at him before looking at the sky too. Could it be that Natsume already knew? If he really did, then how?

"I don't really know. She said they could be dead since the last time she asked her grandpa, he only answered that they were watching over her. She never really bothered with it before and assumed that it must be true. And some parts of her memory from childhood before she was adopted are missing. We suspected that it must have been coming back to her regarding her recent actions."

Ruka's story was half-truth, half-lie. He knew Mikan's full history but he was bound to conceal it to everyone, including Natsume. The only thing he could give Natsume was clues. Hopefully, he would be able to figure it out. Both for his sake and his mission's.

"_So she didn't tell anyone. Why tell me everything that you can't even tell your best friend? Who really are you, Mikan?" _Natsume thought as he watched the moving clouds.

The confusion he was feeling was exhilarating. He didn't know what he should do. Ruka seemed to be dropping clues about something—someone—but he couldn't understand it. Something, or maybe some kind of spell, was preventing him from knowing. But what was it? He had a feeling that it had something to do with someone. He would think about it later. He had to rest his body for a few minutes.

"I'm taking a nap, Ruka. Watch closely."

-x-

"Tell us where your master is!" Akina shouted to one of the devils they were fighting. They had managed to defeat every one of them and now they were questioning the last one. The others were passed out around them. "Where is she?"

The devil grinned at them, not giving them the answer they wanted. "If you really want to see her, then find her. Or has the princess lost her powers?"

He was taunting them. Mikan knew of it. Her patience was wearing thin; they had to know where that woman was. She turned around and opened her wings. "Kill him, Akina."

Akina looked at her and nodded. She brought her dagger to the devil's throat and sliced him. He didn't even look shock or scared. It was more like he expected it. This brought confusion to her. What could it mean? She turned around to follow Mikan.

"That was a wonderful performance, Princess. As expected of you and your faithful dog," a voice made them whirl around. There, three feet away from them, was the woman from before. "It's such a shame to waste your energy looking for me, so I just had to do you a favor and present myself to you."

Akina quickly launched herself in front of Mikan, daggers in hand. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the woman, her teeth bared. She would not let this woman touch her master, not even a single hair.

"I'll be fine, Akina. Calm down."

"Listen to your master. I won't harm her, well not now, at least. It will be a real pity to kill her right now without any audience but yourself. And besides, there's no reason for me to be so fastidious. After all, I have to let the princess enjoy her freedom while it lasts."

Akina just glared harder at her when she laughed after her statement. She was mocking them. This woman had no right to toy with Princess Mikan.

"Now, I know what you wanted to know, and I'm here to grant it to you, on one condition…"

"I'll never agree to anything you say. I already know who you are. What I really want to know is your real intentions. And I plan to get that out from you!" Mikan said as she flew to her direction. The woman was shock for a minute before she got her senses back to dodge.

Mikan had missed her by a hair breadth. The woman had used teleportation in that split second. She looked around her to search. She knew that the woman was still here. Her presence wasn't entirely gone.

She brought out a dagger, throwing it in her opposite direction. There was a scream of pain as it hit someone. She walked to the source and glared down at the woman. "Tell me."

"Never. Do you really think that you will be able to extract that information from me?"

She grabbed her hair, bringing her up. Mikan's eyes glowed red, her fangs showing, her nails growing pointy. The woman once again screamed in pain when Mikan caught her neck and tightened her hold on her.

"Tell me," Mikan repeated. Her voice dangerous and a low growl escaped her lips. If this woman would not tell her what she wanted to know, she could just die by her hands.

"I would rather die than tell you. And I assure you, even if you kill me, my plan will still be in motion. You know that devils are faithful to their kin."

The woman laughed once again when Mikan narrowed her eyes at her. She tightened her hold more on her. The woman was practically choking now, but Mikan knew that she couldn't kill this devil right now. She had to know more.

Akina was quietly watching her master, silently listening to the conversation. She, herself, was itching to kill the woman, but she knew that her master wanted to know something. Akina wanted to discover who this woman was. Her identity had been hidden for far too long.

"You're testing my patience, Luna. Tell me or I will torture you in ways unimaginable to humans and devils alike."

"Luna?" Akina voiced out. "Koizumi Luna?"

Mikan looked at her and frowned. She had forgotten that Akina was here. She didn't want her—or anyone for that matter—to know who this devil was. She was going to tell them eventually, but it looked like she had slipped.

"Yes, Akina. Didn't your master tell you?" Luna looked at them and smirked. "Oh, she didn't, did she? I wonder why."

"Shut up. It doesn't matter," Mikan said, returning her gaze to Luna. She gripped her neck tighter, making Luna let out another scream. "I need you to fall asleep for a while."

She raised her free hand and brought it to the back of her neck, adding pressure to her points. Luna's eyes widened through the mask before she fell limp. She was unconscious but not for long.

"We're going back, Akina, and we're bringing her with us," Akina had picked up Luna's body and spread her wings out. "We're going to Ruka and Natsume's station."

-x-

"What happened here, Tobita?" Hotaru asked as she reached the elementary division. "I caught a signal here. Did one of the devils managed to get in here?"

Hotaru looked around and took in the state of the room. Parts of the walls were burnt black, the table and chairs were thrown across the room, the children were sitting at one corner, being protected by a small barrier, and a girl was standing near them. She looked familiar. She looked at Yuu to get her answers from her questions earlier.

"Well, to answer your second question, yes and no," Hotaru raised her eyebrow at him, telling him to go on. "A devil had indeed managed to get in here, but no, it's not one of the enemies."

"Who?"

"Look for yourself. I do not know her but she said that she knows Akina. That's her, the one standing near the children."

Hotaru walked to her, scrutinizing the child. She had seen this girl before, but where? She watched as the girl's black hair swayed, though there was no wind inside the room. Her head was bowed down, so Hotaru couldn't see her eyes. Hotaru was near the girl when she looked up and beamed.

"Hotaru-nee-chan!" the girl ran the rest of the way and launched herself to her person. Hotaru was taken aback at the sudden action. She caught the girl and held her, so as not to drop her. The child pulled back after a few minutes and smiled widely. "I missed you!"

"Kaze," Hotaru said upon recognizing the smile. "Where were you? How? Why?"

"Hotaru, you know her?" Yuu asked after seeing the reaction from both parties. At Hotaru's nod, he asked her name. He dared not ask more. It was a devil's business, not a Halfling's.

"Tobita, this is Kaze. Kaze, Tobita Yuu."

"Nice to meet you, Yuu-nii!" Kaze stuck out her hand. Yuu took it and shook hands with her. "We're just going to talk, okay?"

Yuu nodded his head at her before walking to the children's place. He silently watched as the two girls made their way across the room, all the while whispering to each other. He knew it was not his place to ask questions, and he could only assume that something was not right. And it was a serious problem. Maybe the princess was back? It had been more than ten years since the tragedy, anyway.

-x-

"For your first question, nee-chan, mother had imprisoned me in a bracelet. A traitor had found me and brought me with him. Though my body was imprisoned, I was able to use my powers and was able to protect and warn Mikan-nee-chan whenever she would accidentally visit the Dream World."

"Dream World? She was visiting it before? When?"

"What with someone freeing the traitors and with the spell on me gone, I believe that the princess is already awake. As for your questions, I think it was around last month. Her visiting the world meant that her awakening was coming. I'm right, aren't I?"

Hotaru nodded at the girl. Kaze may be a child, but her mind was surely not. She had a child's body, but her soul—devils had souls too—belonged to the Royal family's fortune teller. Kaze was the most powerful fortune teller that had ever lived in their world. Upon losing her power, she became the guardian of Dream World. She could meet anyone in the world, and she could prevent anyone from entering the said world.

"Do you know who is responsible for freeing the traitors?"

"I don't know her, but I can sense that the princess has her. Nee-chan, I met an oracle in the world."

"Oracle? From Netherworld?"

"Yes. She said so herself and I knew that she was not lying. She said that I have to warn Natsume, whoever that is. She said he's a Hyuuga, so I'm assuming that he's a prince. Someone is coming for him, trying to get him, and use him. And that someone is—"

A loud boom from afar interrupted Kaze's speech. Hotaru jumped at the sound and looked at the source. It was where she left Ruka and Natsume! She had to go to them. Fast.

"Tobita, stay here," Hotaru said as she prepared jumping from the window. Kaze was behind her, preparing herself. "Kaze and I are going to the explosion site."

They didn't wait for his answer and jumped, their wings that was hidden was brought out. And so with high speed, they set off.

"The oracle's right," Hotaru looked at her and nodded. She also feared the worst. Upon hearing what Kaze said earlier, a strange panic arose in her chest. "We have to be faster."

"_Ruka, please be okay."_

-x-

Mikan and Akina were flying to where Ruka and Natsume were when a loud explosion came from their designed destination. Panic rose in their chest, especially Mikan, upon noticing a figure near the two. They increased their speed and set out.

"Mikan!" Ruka shouted after sighting the two figures flying in his direction. "Natsume was… someone was—"

"Breathe, Ruka. What happened?" Mikan remained calm despite the fact that her insides were in turmoil. "What did they want from Natsume?"

"A gate was opened here and the next thing I knew, Natsume was gone. Someone had put a spell on us. I think Natsume noticed it since he tried fighting back, but—"

"It's a forbidden spell, isn't it?" Ruka looked at her and nodded. He knew that such a spell was impossible to counter.

"And Natsume was weak from the barrier spell he had put on earlier. He wasn't able to get all his powers back. The only clue we have right now is that it was a man who took him."

"That man is associated with her," Akina spoke for the first time, raising Luna's body. "We were able to drag her here, but she will be waking soon, Princess."

Mikan nodded at her and looked past Ruka. A black hole with yellowish rings around it was opened. They wouldn't be able to follow the man since the spell of the gate only allowed the caster and its decided companions—or in this case, hostages—to pass through. She had to close it soon before another devil got out.

"I just don't understand why they didn't bother opening another gate at another location, since obviously they could very well do it. Could it be that their real target is Natsume and not you, Mikan?" Ruka said as he stared at the gate.

"You're right, Ruka," someone spoke behind them. They turned around to see Hotaru and a girl standing there, their wings still attached to their backs. "

"Kaze," Akina spoke, looking at the girl. "How?"

"Later, Akina-nee-chan. Right now, we have to close that gate. Can you do it, Mikan-nee?" Kaze looked at the princess, not hiding her awe at the brunette. "We can only assume that that's the woman from before?"

"Yes."

"I'll start closing the gate. Hotaru, please support me," Mikan said, walking in front of the hole. Hotaru followed suit. "By the name of…"

Her chant began, glowing lights appeared around them, and the wind had picked up, surrounding the caster. Mikan closed her eyes, her arms spread. The gate started shrinking, the lights cornering the hole, and that was when the spell was nullified.

"Mikan!" Hotaru had managed to catch Mikan's falling form. She looked up and gasped at the figure in front of her. In a blink of an eye, the man was gone. Hotaru's eyes widened in understanding. She turned around and shouted, "Akina, watch out!"

But it was too late. He had gotten to her and delivered a strong blow to her stomach. Akina had dropped Luna and backed away a few steps in pain, clutching her stomach. She coughed bloods, her body unconsciously kneeling down.

"I'll be taking her back," he said to her, walking back to the gate. He was murmuring words as he walked. Their surrounding became foggy and they felt their eyes closing, no matter how much they fought. "Nice to see you again, Princess."

Hotaru fought the spell, forcing her limbs to move. She had to stop him. "St—" and her world went black.

-x-

Natsume awoke in a strange place. The walls were black, pitch black to be exact. Not his type. Other than the bed he was lying on, a chair near him was the only furniture present at the room. He looked around, studying his surroundings. One door, no windows. This was a prison room. Why was he here? What happened?

"You're awake, Prince Natsume," he espied an unknown man and the woman from before near the door, watching as the said object close. "Now, I know what you want to know. You're here in our prison, though where _exactly _this place is, that I cannot tell you."

"Who are you?"

"Goshima. And this, my boss," gesturing at the woman. "you already know."

"What do you want from me?" he asked, his calm demeanor faltering a little bit, allowing rage to seep through. "Why am I here?"

"You are her weakness," it was the woman who answered him. "Did you know I had a hard time with that precious girl of yours? She gave me a lot of trouble. She almost killed me, but looking back at it, she probably won't. Well, at least, not right now. She still had a lot to ask."

"Girl? Who's girl?"

"Oh, you still don't know who the princess is?" she said, smirking at him. "Now I know why she kept sticking close to you. The fact that she hid the truth from you and never letting her eyes off of you could only mean that she doesn't want you to get involved in this fight. But her doing that proves to be the dumbest idea she's ever had."

Natsume was listening at the woman. From her tone of voice, and her referring to someone gave him a few clues as to who the princess was. It was not possible, was it?

"I can see you working the gigs of this puzzle. Let me help you. Her bodyguards always stick close to her. She didn't remember her past until the last time we met. I killed her parents. She is _always _near you."

Natsume's eyes widened in realization. No. It couldn't be. But who was he to question the obvious clues around him. Didn't he always suspect Ruka, Hotaru, and Akina? And didn't he also say that it felt as if something was preventing him from knowing further?

"It looked like she casted a spell on you to prevent you from knowing. Well, let me help you with that too," the woman said, her lips started moving in a foreign language unknown to man but known to their kind.

Thoughts suddenly flowed to his head, and images from the past filled his mind. Mikan crying, Mikan telling him her problems, relating her worries, and Mikan handing him a Howalon and the sad smile he glimpsed after that. He had forgotten it afterwards… after he had taken a bite from the candy. She… she didn't.

That explained why Hotaru and Akina were sticking close to her, why Ruka hesitated for a second when he asked about her past, why she was always clinging to him, but all of that didn't explain the strange fluttering in his stomach whenever he would see her smile. Or why he liked her scent, a mixture of strawberry and vanilla. He could accept the fact that they hid the truth from him, under her direct orders no doubt. Everyone also seemed to not know the truth. Her reasons didn't matter to him anymore.

With another mission forgotten, he was determined to carry out his most important assignment. He had to know who this woman was, her intentions, and get out of this place. He had to stop this woman from what she was planning—whatever that was—or their world would be in serious trouble.

Natsume leapt out of the bed and knocked the woman down—who, by those minutes, had moved closer to him. The act of surprise never ceased to help him. Her mask had fallen off from the impact, letting him see who she really was. His eyes widened for the second time that day—or night—upon seeing her face. A name passed his lips.

"Luna."

-x-x-

Wow. That's the longest chapter yet and the upcoming ones will be long too. It will take some time but I hope you don't mind the wait.

I know you're confused at some parts, but tell me which, so I could fully explain it to the upcoming chapters, 'kay? Or if it's possible, I could send you a message. Now if you spot some mistakes, just tell me. I won't be rereading this for a while. I will just write and write then upload since I'm really determined to finish this before May or June.

I hope you enjoyed reading!

_~Trance_

Fact: Did you know that I'm considering this chapter as another experiment on my writing style?


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